Temporary and miserable world

Last evening near Yonge and College close to when I was about to give up, I saw a really tall lady and I thought she wont see me. To my surprise she cut across the pathway to come speak with me. I explained to her how I was sharing knowledge on meditation and showed her a picture of Srila Prabhupada. Suddenly her calm face changed and tears fell from her eyes onto her shirt - I actually saw them fall. Upon my inquiry she explained that she was just going through a very emotional situation minutes ago and this was just what she needed. She was appreciative of the content and told me she had no money but would go to her car and get some. I thought now she won't return and was timing myself but she did return and took books. She got all our program details and said she would visit us. Later on I was thinking how bleak is material life - you shed tears and there is so much pain. I asked her to chant Gauranga and. Explained to her that it was a name of God that gave all happiness. Whole experience reminded me of a bhajan by Bhakti Vinod Thakur :

māyā-jāle baddha ho 'ye, ācho miche kāja lo 'ye,
ekhona cetana pe'ye, 'rādhā-mādhav' nām bolo re
You are bound up in the network of Maya and are forced to toil fruitlessly. Now you have obtained full consciousness in the human form of life, so chant the names of Radha-Madhava.

Beggar or Director - a book for everyone

At university of Toronto a lady went past me and then returned curious to know what it was that I was selling. I told her I am not selling but sharing knowledge on yoga and meditation. Showing her a picture of Srila Prabhupada I explained to her what the science of self realization was all about. She said she was wanting to get more into all this and happily gave a donation. As she was leaving I asked her what was she studying on campus. She replied she wasn't a student but the director of health and nutrition for university of Toronto. I told her then the well being of students is in her hand and she should definitely use these books to that end. It makes me realize how these books are meant for the everyone - I have had beggars beg and collect laxmi to buy them at at same time a director in a prestigious university has appreciation for it. A book for everyone - all glories to Srila Prabhupada for such exemplary books !

A second meeting

I met a young high school girl in Kensington market and while I did not remember her, she reminded me of our meeting a few months ago. Enthusiastically she told me that she had read the Chant and be happy and had read it. She told me she really liked it and had already got some of her friends to read it. Just that morning I was listening to a lecture where it was being explained how people who have already had some association with Srila Prbahupada books are very receptive, and here we had a person who was unknowingly dong sankirtan by asking her friends to read the book. So I handed her a Bhagavad Gita as it is even though she had said she did not have much money. She deeply appreciated the Sanskrit and took the time to understand the picture on Reincarnation. She told me she was not interested in religion even though she believed in God. She was raised Catholic and was very disappointed as people did not practice what they preached. I showed her the Guru Parampara in beginning of the Gita and told her how the message is lost when disciplic succession is broken. I showed her the section in Introduction where Srila Prabhupada explains the difference between Religion and Sanatana Dharma…I briefly explained it to her and she marked it in her copy so she could go home and read it. Vaisesika Prabhu had told us that Bhagavad-Gita is sold on its own merit and it was nice to see how she was reading and loving sections of it.

The English world religion is a little different from sanätana-dharma. Religion conveys the idea of faith, and faith may change. One may have faith in a particular process, and he may change this faith and adopt another, but sanätana-dharma refers to that activity which cannot be changed. For instance, liquidity cannot be taken from water, nor can heat be taken from fire. Similarly, the eternal function of the eternal living entity cannot be taken from the living entity. Sanätana-dharma is eternally integral with the living entity.

Representative of International Society for Krishna Consciousness

While I was trying to show people some of Srila Prabhupada books, a group of Asian students stopped. They were having fun but they stopped to look at our books. Suddenly one of them asked me - which organisation do you belong to. I somehow was not prepared for this question but magically I remembered the words of Mukunda Maharaj from my recent readings of his book 'Miracle on 2nd Avenue'. Automatically i repeated, I am a representative of the International society of Krishna consciousness founded by our Guru Srila Prbahupada and showed her a picture. She immediately accepted and all 3 took some laxmi out of their bags and gave me. While I was saying this, another person stopped and simply demanded a book. Suddenly having used these words I noticed people were stopping on their own to take books. It was an inspiring experience to see the power of repeating the words of disciplic succession.

A study of ancient worlds

I had some pain in my back so it was a little hard to stand. University was full of people - it was like Eaton centre. I was praying for Krishna to magically stop someone when a young man stopped as I was talking to someone else. First he stood patiently while I finished the previous conversation and then we started to talk about our books. I did not think he would be interested but I was up for a surprise. Behind his beard and big bag he looked very academic person so I was not sure how to present it but I decided to keep it straight. I showed him the chant and be happy and explained how it was a great book on meditation and helps us get over stress and anxiety. He agreed to take the book and gave me a small donation even though he had initially said he had no money. Upon my inquiry he told me he was studying Ancient civilizations at University. I immediately referred him to the Searching for Vedic India and started to describe how the book talked about ancient civilizations and was the work of deep research. He kind of looked at my face expecting me to speak more and I started to say whatever I remembered from having read the book. I started to talk about how the book describes the Dogons, the Mayans and many other civilisations. Being a specialist in ancient civilisations he stared to ask me detailed questions about the Dogons and how this was connected to what I was doing in terms of yoga. A long interview later he said he was interested in the book but I was not carrying a copy. So I asked him if we could meet later that evening near my home and I would give him a book. To my great surprise he came in the evening to get the book walking all the way from University. He started reading it that night and came next day to the Gita class. I was a little worried as to what I could say to such a student who was topping his class in study of ancient civilisations but the magic of presenting Bhagavad gita as it is - is really special. After the class, I showed him the Gita and started to explain it. He said as soon as he read a few lines he wanted it and took a copy of it. He then explained to me how 2 days ago when in University book store, he was attracted to the Gita there and bought it, but he had not read it. I told him to read as it is as it was written in the proper mood of devotion. I do not know whether he will return, but he indeed was a rare should who chanted, appreciated Bhagavad gita, ate prashad, and washed dishes - all in a short time. Please pray that he returns to deep dive into the philosophy of Bhagavad gita.

Watching the potent effect of Srila Prabhupada books reminded me of the introduction to the Bhagavad gita: Of course there are many commentaries in English on the Bhagavad- gita, and one may question the necessity for another one. This present edition can be explained in the following way. Recently an American lady asked me to recommend an English translation of Bhagavad-gita. Of course in America there are so many editions of Bhagavad- gita available in English, but as far as I have seen, not only in America but also in India, none of them can be strictly said to be authoritative because in almost every one of them the commentator has expressed his own opinions without touching the spirit of Bhagavad- gita as it is.

Cruising Through Downtown Toronto for a Double-Decker Bus Kirtan!

Submitted by Tara Voskoboynik

It's pretty normal to see double decker buses making their way through downtown Toronto with guides speaking to packed tourists about the sights and points of interest in the city. But imagine a double-decker bus, filled with colourful devotees, speakers, instruments and balloons as it cruises through downtown on a spectacularly special harinam! There was so much excitement in the air amongst Toronto's Hare Krishna devotees that everyone was talking about it during the time leading up to this special day!

The bus arrived and we started to setup the sound equipment and everyone was waiting for the glorious moment to go on the bus! While everyone was waiting, Sita Thakurani mataji lead us in Nrsimha prayers before boarding the bus. After some chanting. the moment finally came! We all jumped on the bus, blessed and protected by Lord Nrsimha to chant "Hare Krishna" all over downtown Toronto!

As the bus first made it's way through Yorkville, everyone on the street could hear the Hare Krishna maha mantra with, "Have a beautiful day, Toronto!" and "Hare Krishna Toronto!" being hollered in between. Indeed, as the bus was passing by Torontonians, faces were changing as people beamed smiles and hands waved to us as we passed by! The bus stopped at a few designated places and devotees, like spiritual sparks, brightened people's lives by jumping off the bus and sharing a book, having a chat or just giving away lollipops! :)

When the bus passed through the tunnel on Yonge Street... yes, the same tunnel that brought so many memories and excitement... the same tunnel that gets to be part of the most wild kirtan during our annual parade in July, all the devotees chanted the Holy Name louder and faster and the kirtan exploded!

After going from Yorkville, to Yonge-Dundas, to Harborfront, we made our way back to the temple and made one last stop at Yorkville. It was at this time that one man, wearing a bright yellow shirt and a bright smile, saw us and started dancing alongside the bus and crying out, "I love you guys!". He followed us all the way until Bay & Avenue. It seemed just like the descriptions of Caitanya Mahaprabhu's times wherein, during kirtans, everyone would hug each other and even animals would embrace. This man was hugging trees and dancing enthusiastically as he heard the names of Krishna over and over again! He kept waving to us the whole time. As the bus pulled away, we saw him climb up some stairs and bow down on his knees praying intensively! What an interaction and what a great way to see how the chanting of Krishna's names can touch people's lives.

It was a day full of smiles, chanting, waving, sharing knowledge of books and even lollipops and it all was successful due to the mercy of great spiritual teachers (acharyas) and the enthusiastic devotees! We're looking forward to next year's double-decker bus kirtan! Hare Krishna!

Glories of the holy name

Generally a human being is interested in religion, economic development, sense gratification and liberation, but love of God is above all these. A bona fide spiritual master chants the holy names—Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Räma Räma, Hare Hare—and the transcendental sound vibration enters into the ear of the disciple, and if a disciple follows in the footsteps of his spiritual master and chants the holy name with similar respect, he actually comes to worship the transcendental name. When the transcendental name is worshiped by the devotee, the name Himself spreads His glories within the heart of a devotee. When a devotee is perfectly qualified in chanting the transcendental vibration of the holy name, he is quite fit to become a spiritual master and to deliver all the people of the world. The chanting of the holy name is so powerful that it gradually establishes its supremacy above everything in the world.

Teachings of Lord Chaitanya Chapter 18 (Conversations with Prakashananda Saraswati)